Starting To Also Think It’s Time

[SCHawkeye2]

Monday Musings: Eleven Straight

Things are not OK in Iowa City.

www.blackheartgoldpants.com

Sadly, I think this is a fairly accurate assessment of the Iowa football program.

 

[Fryowa]

I watched the presser and I shrug my shoulders. All I got out of it was a guy that didn’t feel like sugarcoating anything or placating to anyone. I got no indications that he is ready to walk away, I got a guy that doesn’t want to bullshit anymore. As a man of a certain age at this point…I totally get it.

Me, too. He was certainly in shock after a devastating loss. He cares about his players, his coaches, and Iowa fans.

Too much is being assigned to his age. It is a number. That is all. I know people, many in fact, who are 70 who will compete mentally with about anyone on HN. Of course, some struggle with declines, but a lot fewer than has been suggested on HN. I also know several people very well who are late 70’s or 80 who would turn many of us every way but loose. Sorry Fry and others, but you are trapped in some age related assumptions that are simply wrong.

Do pressure packed jobs become more difficult to perform as we age? Yes, but also no. Look at many of the CEO’s in big corps. They ain’t kids.

Remain critical of KF’s age, energy level at your peril, and focus on criticism of his will to accept change, period. Then look at his O under Lester, which is the best around, college and nfl. Should be our next head coach. No doubt. Transfer portal? Has certainly not been ignored. Look at the add on’s. Mobile QB’s? Look at the QB room, present and future. Look at the experiments in the receiver room.

So. We are facing an 18 team conference with lots of blue bloods present and potentially future. Hope is there to expand playoff expansion.

We shall see.

Everyone has their own interpretation. I see a guy who doesn't have the energy for it anymore regardless of age, if he were 45 years old I'd say the same thing. In my opinion it's gotten worse, I've watched every postgame for more than a decade. Also regardless of age, what I saw Saturday night when I got to my hotel room isn't the message and enthusiasm and urgency you need to send players after a really bad loss like that. 3 mistakes happened that had just one of them not happened, we knock off a top ten team at home. That can't be overstated. Look what Cignetti has done with that team just by the fire he shows and his attitude.

It isn't so much losing the game as it is the reaction to it. Listening to the presser he's mumbling barely above a whimper and talked more about how his guys work hard and how they're great kids than he did about the game. UMass players are also probably great kids and I don't doubt that they work their butts off too. But being dismissive and accepting of self-inflicted, really bad losses (which no one here can deny KF was doing in that presser) doesn't inspire players to get fired up and get better.

Maybe he was tired. Maybe he had a migraine. Maybe he didn't want to be in front of cameras for the millionth time getting asked about why his team lost. I get all that and I wouldn't like it either, but those are things you have to deal with as a P4 coach.

That's just me.

Iowa needs something different IMO. That's not me hating KF...no one can do it forever, even Michael Jordan had to call it quits at some point. Whether some here want to admit it or not KF is one of the all-time greats. But the game has passed him by and Father Time is knocking on the door. Like a lot of things in life, you are usually the last one to realize you can't cut the mustard anymore.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

She'd be taking much less of a chance hiring him than anyone else.

If there's anything one should know from college football in the last 15 years it's that a HC's previous record does NOT equal success at his next school. There are many, MANY more coaches who've failed after getting a new job than continued their success. Give me any name of a guy who has been great and I'll give you 50 who flopped.

So much of the success depends on the assistants as well, look at the 50yrs of assistants that both Fry and Ferentz have had and the consistency they have had. Many stayed on for years. Ferentz has had two top D coordinators who may have been the most help adding to Ferentz's wins in the BIG.

 

[hawkinn3]

It’s over. The only thing Kirk needs to figure out is if he wants to leave and be a legend or drag the program down and tarnish his reputation. Play with the grand kids, get a statue. Why is he still doing this?

 

[Fryowa]

Ferentz has had two top D coordinators who may have been the most help adding to Ferentz's wins in the BIG.

I think Norm, Phil, and Reese were 95% of his success here to be honest.

 

[HawkPowerlifter]

I think Norm, Phil, and Reese were 95% of his success here to be honest.

We could say that about Hayden too. Look at the line of coaches that moved on and had solid coaching careers. I think that says a lot about Fry and Ferentz both. Former players and coaches speak with the utmost respect about both. Both obviously were very good about creating a culture which coaches flourished and were able to grow.

 

[Fryowa]

It’s over. The only thing Kirk needs to figure out is if he wants to leave and be a legend or drag the program down and tarnish his reputation. Play with the grand kids, get a statue. Why is he still doing this?

That's what I don't understand. Fry had cancer so that was a little bit different situation, but no matter the reason he saw that he couldn't keep up with the race and he did what needed to be done for the good of the program.

Maybe KF sees it too and will step away after the season, who knows. Either way it's time. And none of that would take away from what Ferentz continued after Fry. If you look at the list of teams who've sustained the winning percentage of Iowa over the past 45 years Iowa is the one school that shouldn't belong there and that's unbelievable.

In the grand scheme of things maybe none of it matters because college football in 2025 is about trying to manage a roster in a league with no salary caps and even if Iowa hired Kirby Smart there isn't enough money here to win the B1G or make the playoffs. So at the end of the day this is about trying to make the Holiday Bowl instead of the Cheez-Its Bowl if we're being honest. But it could also be the difference between that and becoming the next Northwestern which ain't good.

 

[HawkIowa44]

Based on program reputation and recent winning...

Tier One:
Ohio St
Michigan
Oregon
Penn St
USC

Tier Two:
Iowa
Wisconsin
Washington
Nebraska - not much winning, more so reputation
Michigan St

Tier Three:
UCLA
Minnesota
Northwestern - Up and down, but had some really good years
Purdue - Same as Northwestern

Tier Four:
Illinois
Maryland
Indiana
Rutgers

Currently teams trending up are Indiana, Illinois and possibly Nebraska
Teams trending down are Wisconsin, UCLA and Purdue
Teams that are in need of change are USC and Iowa

Iowa is never getting into Tier One and all we can do is hope we stay in Tier Two

 

[Fryowa]

Based on program reputation and recent winning...

Tier One:
Ohio St
Michigan
Oregon
Penn St
USC

Tier Two:
Iowa
Wisconsin
Washington
Nebraska - not much winning, more so reputation
Michigan St

Tier Three:
UCLA
Minnesota
Northwestern - Up and down, but had some really good years
Purdue - Same as Northwestern

Tier Four:
Illinois
Maryland
Indiana
Rutgers

Currently teams trending up are Indiana, Illinois and possibly Nebraska
Teams trending down are Wisconsin, UCLA and Purdue
Teams that are in need of change are USC and Iowa

Iowa is never getting into Tier One and all we can do is hope we stay in Tier Two

USC should be in tier 2 no doubt. They might have an argument for tier one way back in the day, but any successes they’ve had in recent history are 100% due to playing in the PAC-12. Terrible conference. USC is just a slightly less ghetto version of nebraska. Used to be good but ain’t anymore.

 

[HawkIowa44]

USC should be in tier 2 no doubt. They might have an argument for tier one way back in the day, but any successes they’ve had in recent history are 100% due to playing in the PAC-12. Terrible conference. USC is just a slightly less ghetto version of nebraska. Used to be good but ain’t anymore.

I was on the fence about both of those programs as Nebraska probably deserves to be in Tier Three

 

[Fryowa]

I was on the fence about both of those programs as Nebraska probably deserves to be in Tier Three

USC was unstoppable in the early 2000s like osbourne was but since 2018 they've been burnt turds worse than Iowa.

Also funny is how when Pete Carroll left they thought all they had to do was go out and buy Rolls Royce coaches like Kiffin, Sarkisian, and Riley for hundreds of millions of dollars and they'd continue to beat the world. Just like nebraska.

Cautionary tales for all the Iowa fans out there who think we need to go make a splash hire outside the program after KF. I mean Iowa isn't 90s nebraska or 2000s USC by any stretch, but the point is still just as valid. Success somewhere else does not increase the likelihood of success somewhere else. In fact, it usually leads to very unrealistic expectations and less success.

 

[DrKnipe]

Fitz should be next.

 

[HawkIowa44]

USC was unstoppable in the early 2000s like osbourne was but since 2018 they've been burnt turds worse than Iowa.

Also funny is how when Pete Carroll left they thought all they had to do was go out and buy Rolls Royce coaches like Kiffin, Sarkisian, and Riley for hundreds of millions of dollars and they'd continue to beat the world. Just like nebraska.

Hell, since Pete Carroll left, Iowa and USC both have had five 10-win seasons

 

[hawkinn3]

USC should be in tier 2 no doubt. They might have an argument for tier one way back in the day, but any successes they’ve had in recent history are 100% due to playing in the PAC-12. Terrible conference. USC is just a slightly less ghetto version of nebraska. Used to be good but ain’t anymore.

Hiring Riley also showed they still think a big name coach matters, it doesn’t. If you have enough NIL any mediocre coach can win.

Ryan Day isn’t a great coach but he’s got buckets of money to get anyone he wants.

I think more than anything it’s why Saban left, he realized he could still win but he wasn’t the reason anymore. When you have that much money and all those rings, what’s the point?

 

[Fryowa]

I think more than anything it’s why Saban left, he realized he could still win but he wasn’t the reason anymore. When you have that much money and all those rings, what’s the point?

Saban probably thought now that you can pay players big money legally he didn't have an advantage anymore.

 

[Fryowa]

Hiring Riley also showed they still think a big name coach matters, it doesn’t. If you have enough NIL any mediocre coach can win

Look what Cignetti did coming from small ball vs what Deion Sanders has done...

 

[HawkPowerlifter]

Saban probably thought now that you can pay players big money legally he didn't have an advantage anymore.

I actually do think this probably was part of it. Advantage gone. LOL. But I think Saban was smart. Legacy intact and the whole landscape of NCAA football just changed. With enough money from boosters and NIL, you can create a winner almost overnight.

 

[kicker22]

My two cents and I may get absolutely hammered for this by some. Initially my feelings were similar to the basketball program, as in when its time to replace you go outside the program and gut the staff in exchange for new blood and energy. That said, I've come to the conclusion that I like the Iowa way and like what we have, and that culture completely goes with the staff when that happens.

Therefore I agree with hiring from within. It may not be a breath of fresh air so to speak, but may revitalize the program. We can still run things like we always have with the exception of a rejuvenation rather than an overhaul. There's no denying that our current staff knows how to coach, and there's a general consensus that KF's philosophy has been holding us back offensively. I say we hire from within, keep the staff on board that wants to stay, and since the KF coaching tree doesn't exactly branch off there's a great chance that those brought in to fill the voids will be from outside the program and I'm ok with it.

As Fry pointed out, were not one of those teams that are consistently fighting for a playoff spot. So what would it hurt keeping the Iowa culture and branding the same and simply letting those coaches on staff open things up a little more. Let Lester (or whoever is OC if he's promoted) take more chances. Let Parker (or whoever takes his place) maintain what we've become accustomed to on the defensive side of the ball.

We've feared it for years and there's major concerns that going with the next big thing, a sure fire hit, or a coach that simply was in the wrong environment could absolutely destroy us and send us into the ranks of the Nebraska's out there that are absolutely dumpster fires and a mediocre shitshow spiraling downward or going absolutely nowhere, so why do it. I think hiring from within and keeping what we have in place with some modifications down the road is exactly what we need.

 

[HawkIowa44]

My two cents and I may get absolutely hammered for this by some. Initially my feelings were similar to the basketball program, as in when its time to replace you go outside the program and gut the staff in exchange for new blood and energy. That said, I've come to the conclusion that I like the Iowa way and like what we have, and that culture completely goes with the staff when that happens.

I'm right there with you. I do like the Iowa way.