Adventures in Offense 2013: Iowa

[WinOneThisCentury]

Let's not kid ourselves....MSU was not a good football team last year. If Maxwell wasn't equally as terrible as JVB, we wouldn't have won there. And let's not forget our losses were to a pretty mediocre Clown team at HOME (where even pathetic clowns teams are able to pull off victories over some of the best Hawkeye teams ever)and to.....not even going to say it b/c it's so pathetic. 4-2 against those teams means absolutely nothing and should not be the basis for the we-were-doing-pretty-good-until Weisman/Scherff/Donnal went-down argument. Would've likely been 0-6 or 1-5 vs any teams with a pulse. This argument is so weak and played out. We were a horrible football team in a horrible conference.

I won't argue with the conference being down...no doubt about it. But the teams we played in those first six games weren't the bottom feeders you describe below. NIU, although playing in a terrible conference, did get the selection to a BCS bowl game you know. ISU, Minnesota, Central Michigan, MSU were also all bowl teams...and make all the references you want, but they did go bowling...which we would have done if those injuries didn't happen one right after the other. In reference to MSU specifically, they lost to OSU by 1, Michigan by 2, Wisconsin by 3, and NW by 4...reminded me of our 2010 season, as they could have won all those games. Their defense was 10th in the country in total defense, 6th in pass defense and 7th in run defense. To say they were not a good football team is ridiculous. To say their offense underperformed would be much more accurate...they dropped more balls than Iowa last year. That was a good win at MSU.

I think people forget how young Iowa was last year, but by game 6, they were actually starting to put something together. To group the last six games into the first six is a bit unfair from my perspective...a very young team got decimated by injuries...far beyond the normal sphere of injuries to two position groups (OL and RB).

I agree, we were not a good football team in the last six games. We were weak in the offensive line...and teams didn't respect play action in an offense predicated on it. I'll agree to disagree as to whether that team would have continued to see growth if Scherff, Weisman, and Donnal didn't go down. I think they would have.

 

[OUTofTOWNHAWK]

That's probably what has frustrated me the most about so many posts around here the last few months Deano. It's called selective hearing (or reading for message board sake). It seems to me that the second you try to make a point, if that point in any way deflects blame from the coaches, then you are immediately labeled as a Ferentz follower and everyone with a negative attitude jumps at the bait. Doesn't matter how logical or rational your approach is.

I've seen very few posters around here claim that they want Ferentz here for the long haul no matter what. Some of us just aren't ready to throw him to the wolves yet. The only people who have been sticking up for Ferentz have for the most part been saying his record at Iowa proves he deserves a chance. I don't think I've seen a single poster claim that the current state of the football team is not Ferentz's fault. He's the man in charge, he's getting paid the big bucks, and he needs to prove he can turn things around. If he can't do that, and do it soon, then he needs to go.

There's just an abundance of individuals with extremely negative attitudes, and as soon as they get a whiff of someone who doesn't feel the same way they do then it's like they stop reading things clearly. You're immediately labeled and what you're trying to say is taken out of context. It's like trying to discuss racial equality with a member of the Arian Brotherhood. They don't listen. They hear what they want to believe.

That's why I always appreciate reading Dean's posts. He's level headed and he uses facts when making his point. Can't argue with that. Specially when the facts are directed at someone who completely lacks the ability to have some perspective.

This is very true. I think we see who wrote the post and think hey I never agree with this dude. Or people that we agree with a lot we dont argue with when we dont agree with them.

 

[FreedComanche]

If he says "we just didn't execute well today" why the heck would you think he is ONLY talking about the players? It fits your narrative is what I think. It makes zero sense to think that he is only referring to the players when he says WE.

Because look at his pattern of hardly ever taking responsibility for stupid play calls, dumb strategy, play clock blunders, etc...............

So if he rarely, if ever, takes responsibility for when things go bad, why would we think he's including himself when he says, "we didn't execute today."?

Look, I am not arguing just to argue and I'm not trying to irritate you. If you connect the dots by looking it his history, it seems obvious what he means when he says this.

FreedComanche

 

[FreedComanche]

I've seen very few posters around here claim that they want Ferentz here for the long haul no matter what. Some of us just aren't ready to throw him to the wolves yet.

I don't want him gone at this moment. I have said before it would be super stupid to fire a coach this time of year. And I have not thrown in the towel for this year. I am hoping for the best and think that G. Davis will do some things that make his offense easier to understand for the players.

I think this team has the talent to have a winning record. Hope they do. If that happens I'll be happy to eat crow. I won't run from my critique of ferentz if they win this year. I'll take it like a man and be thrilled that my team did well.

Now if it goes the other way, I would think ferentz will have more than just a few here that stick up for him no matter what. That will be insane.

FreedComanche

 

[Eda]

Let's not kid ourselves....MSU was not a good football team last year. If Maxwell wasn't equally as terrible as JVB, we wouldn't have won there. And let's not forget our losses were to a pretty mediocre Clown team at HOME (where even pathetic clowns teams are able to pull off victories over some of the best Hawkeye teams ever)and to.....not even going to say it b/c it's so pathetic. 4-2 against those teams means absolutely nothing and should not be the basis for the we-were-doing-pretty-good-until Weisman/Scherff/Donnal went-down argument. Would've likely been 0-6 or 1-5 vs any teams with a pulse. This argument is so weak and played out. We were a horrible football team in a horrible conference.

I won't argue with the conference being down...no doubt about it. But the teams we played in those first six games weren't the bottom feeders you describe below. NIU, although playing in a terrible conference, did get the selection to a BCS bowl game you know. ISU, Minnesota, Central Michigan, MSU were also all bowl teams...and make all the references you want, but they did go bowling...which we would have done if those injuries didn't happen one right after the other. In reference to MSU specifically, they lost to OSU by 1, Michigan by 2, Wisconsin by 3, and NW by 4...reminded me of our 2010 season, as they could have won all those games. Their defense was 10th in the country in total defense, 6th in pass defense and 7th in run defense. To say they were not a good football team is ridiculous. To say their offense underperformed would be much more accurate...they dropped more balls than Iowa last year. That was a good win at MSU.

I think people forget how young Iowa was last year, but by game 6, they were actually starting to put something together. To group the last six games into the first six is a bit unfair from my perspective...a very young team got decimated by injuries...far beyond the normal sphere of injuries to two position groups (OL and RB).

I agree, we were not a good football team in the last six games. We were weak in the offensive line...and teams didn't respect play action in an offense predicated on it. I'll agree to disagree as to whether that team would have continued to see growth if Scherff, Weisman, and Donnal didn't go down. I think they would have.

I completely agree, WinOne. I'll add that those first 6 games the offense was doing a lot of what it wanted to. We ran as much ad we wanted to vs UNI, CMU, Minny, and even vs NoIll. If the passing game could've been a little better and we not have been plagued by the dropsies we may have done more vs ISU.
And that MSU game was a good win. No denying that.

 

[deanvogs]

Because look at his pattern of hardly ever taking responsibility for stupid play calls, dumb strategy, play clock blunders, etc...............

So if he rarely, if ever, takes responsibility for when things go bad, why would we think he's including himself when he says, "we didn't execute today."?

Look, I am not arguing just to argue and I'm not trying to irritate you. If you connect the dots by looking it his history, it seems obvious what he means when he says this.

FreedComanche

What are you talking about? KF never throws anyone under the bus, so why do you insist he is putting the blame on the players when he has never ever said that? Plenty of coaches out there directly blame the players, KF doesn't. Plenty of coaches call out assistants (Rhoads did this to the OC this year), but KF doesn't. He say WE, he talks about the team as a whole. I'm not so sure how this is even hard to understand, as I have never once heard KF blame a single player in my life. If you could point me to the quote where he did, I would listen. As it is all you have said is you think you heard some quote on some show......so in other words you got nothing.

 

[OUTofTOWNHAWK]

I dont think he takes any blame publicly or gives any. He really doesnt say a lot. You could go back and forth all day about who we is. Sheesel petes we could mean the fans could mean Bary Garta could mean 2starStan. Outofhismindhawk didnt cheer loud enough.

 

[deanvogs]

I dont think he takes any blame publicly or gives any. He really doesnt say a lot. You could go back and forth all day about who we is. Sheesel petes we could mean the fans could mean Bary Garta could mean 2starStan. Outofhismindhawk didnt cheer loud enough.

That is the point, he doesn't put the blame on others at all, never has. For some reason posters on here act like he is blaming players when he has never done that. It is easy to spot a person who is blaming others (cough....Alford......cough).....KF isn't one of those guys.

 

[FreedComanche]

What are you talking about? KF never throws anyone under the bus, so why do you insist he is putting the blame on the players when he has never ever said that? Plenty of coaches out there directly blame the players, KF doesn't. Plenty of coaches call out assistants (Rhoads did this to the OC this year), but KF doesn't. He say WE, he talks about the team as a whole. I'm not so sure how this is even hard to understand, as I have never once heard KF blame a single player in my life. If you could point me to the quote where he did, I would listen. As it is all you have said is you think you heard some quote on some show......so in other words you got nothing.

Sighs................I try to be diplomatic with you and you respond like this.

I never said he specifically throws any one player or players to the wolves. I said he states a lot that "we didn't execute today". Now if you think he's including himself, well, ok. I'll go back to my post you responded to. He rarely takes responsibility for anything when things go bad, so it would seem he's talking about the players execution when he says that. Geez...........

FreedComanche

 

[woodyk1]

Sighs................I try to be diplomatic with you and you respond like this.

I never said he specifically throws any one player or players to the wolves. I said he states a lot that "we didn't execute today". Now if you think he's including himself, well, ok. I'll go back to my post you responded to. He rarely takes responsibility for anything when things go bad, so it would seem he's talking about the players execution when he says that. Geez...........

FreedComanche

Here's one example ...

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz takes blame for loss to Wisconsin

Earlier in the fourth quarter, the Hawkeyes also slipped up when they allowed Wisconsin to convert a fake punt into a first down on what turned out to be the Badgers' game-winning drive.

"Had we gone punt safe, it wouldn't have been an issue," Ferentz said. "We blew that one. That's my job."

 

[woodyk1]

Here's another ...

Iowa Football Coach Kirk Ferentz Takes Blame For Loss Against Minnesota : Sports : HeartlandConnection.com

Ferentz says it was his fault the Gophers recovered an onside kick that led to the winning touchdown because he failed to call timeout just before the kick.

 

[woodyk1]

Now, here's an example where he points to execution of a play (not recovering the onside kick against Central Michigan). I can see where someone may think he is pointing to the players on this one. Just trying to show that both sides may have a point.

HawkeyeReport.com - Ferentz talks about loss

Q. Were you surprised that you guys were confused on the on side kick coverage when you got a look at what they were doing in that delay?

COACH FERENTZ: Yeah, we typically - we have not been in that situation an awful lot but we have coached it and usually execute it very well. I don't know how many we've been involved in, but we just looked like we were frozen out there, and they got the ball - or at least it must have looked like that, if that's what you're asking.

 

[woodyk1]

Trying to be fair, here's another one where Kirk mentions the players not executing (tackling).

Iowa Football: Hawkeyes suffer crippling home loss to Purdue - Des Moines Iowa Hawkeyes | Examiner.com

“Poor. You were at the game, right,â€￾ Ferentz said when asked about the team’s tackling. “That was a big part of our problem today, and you can't play good defense if you don't tackle well, and I thought that was pretty evident today.â€￾

Of course, in the same article ...

"Clearly we were outcoached and outplayed, particularly in the first half. That's disappointing,â€￾ Ferentz said. “Give Purdue credit; they came in and played to win and competed hard enough to win, and looked like the team that played against Ohio State, Notre Dame earlier in the year. So give them credit.â€￾

and ...

“Well, we've lost how many in a row, so what would that suggest?,â€￾ said Ferentz in regard to the offense getting worse. “What I'm suggesting is we played pretty well against Minnesota and Michigan State, and we haven't played as well. We've had our chances to win the last couple weeks, but we weren't there. But today the first half we didn't give ourselves a chance. I'll sign on that one. I'll sign on that one.â€￾

 

[LASBUR]

That one was on the players. They were where they needed to be. Just didnt jump on the ball. Looked scared

Now, here's an example where he points to execution of a play (not recovering the onside kick against Central Michigan). I can see where someone may think he is pointing to the players on this one. Just trying to show that both sides may have a point.

HawkeyeReport.com - Ferentz talks about loss

Q. Were you surprised that you guys were confused on the on side kick coverage when you got a look at what they were doing in that delay?

COACH FERENTZ: Yeah, we typically - we have not been in that situation an awful lot but we have coached it and usually execute it very well. I don't know how many we've been involved in, but we just looked like we were frozen out there, and they got the ball - or at least it must have looked like that, if that's what you're asking.

 

[DP5555]

If a team has a terrible day making tackles what coach isn't going to point that out? If a player(s) looked frozen on an onside kick... again it isn't wrong for him to point that out.

The bottom line is he may point out obvious things like this that anyone who knows anything about football would have noticed even without him commenting on it, but in the end he always accepts the blame. You can cry about his conservative nature, you can complain about his clock management, his coaching hires, the way he chews gum, and even the way he makes fart jokes if that suits your fancy. However, even the biggest KF haters have got to draw the line somewhere. He's a stand-up person who is a very good role model for his players. One thing that has always been very evident is that he's as loyal as a dog.... to his players and his coaches. Sometimes at his own expense. He is absolutely not the kind of guy who will point blame elsewhere so let's just end this ridiculousness right now.

 

[FreedComanche]

If a team has a terrible day making tackles what coach isn't going to point that out? If a player(s) looked frozen on an onside kick... again it isn't wrong for him to point that out.

The bottom line is he may point out obvious things like this that anyone who knows anything about football would have noticed even without him commenting on it, but in the end he always accepts the blame. You can cry about his conservative nature, you can complain about his clock management, his coaching hires, the way he chews gum, and even the way he makes fart jokes if that suits your fancy. However, even the biggest KF haters have got to draw the line somewhere. He's a stand-up person who is a very good role model for his players. One thing that has always been very evident is that he's as loyal as a dog.... to his players and his coaches. Sometimes at his own expense. He is absolutely not the kind of guy who will point blame elsewhere so let's just end this ridiculousness right now.

Didn't say he never takes responsibility on that stuff. I said he rarely does and usually only because the reporters press him on it. On the Wisonconsin fake punt, it took him a few days before he came out and took some responsibility.

Sure there are examples of him taking responsibility. And you know if anybody did the research you could find more examples of him dodging his responsibility on game day stuff.

FreedComanche

 

[deanvogs]

Didn't say he never takes responsibility on that stuff. I said he rarely does and usually only because the reporters press him on it. On the Wisonconsin fake punt, it took him a few days before he came out and took some responsibility.

Sure there are examples of him taking responsibility. And you know if anybody did the research you could find more examples of him dodging his responsibility on game day stuff.

FreedComanche

So if he doesn't just come out into the press conference and lists off the coaching mistakes that he made, before being asked about them, this proves he is unwilling to take responsibility for them?

It is pretty simple to see. When he is talking about coaching he uses the word coaching. When he is talking about players, that is obvious as well. When he is talking about the team (coaches and players) he uses words "we, or us" I'm not sure why you think that if he uses the word "we" that he is only talking about the players???

I guess we just have to agree to disagree......oh, and that you are wrong on this one.

 

[David79]

If you are going to hold KF responsible for the struggles or bad calls, which he should be, you also have to give him credit for his successes and good calls.
Last year was bad from the coaches and players but if you think KF doesn't blame himself for that then you are an idiot.

 

[OUTofTOWNHAWK]

If you are going to hold KF responsible for the struggles or bad calls, which he should be, you also have to give him credit for his successes and good calls.
Last year was bad from the coaches and players but if you think KF doesn't blame himself for that then you are an idiot.

He doesnt really make successful calls. He makes safe call in which he hope the other team makes a bad call so hes got that going for him.

Take the MSU game last year. They held out until MSU had 3 or 4 penalties in the the last few minutes which led to an overtime in which they were able to hold steady until MSU threw an INT.

Now yes there should be credit to winning on the road in an overtime game. However with the safe calls that are made you are only going to get a few of those wins. Only so many wins will be given to you, most you need to take.

 

[DP5555]

He doesnt really make successful calls. He makes safe call in which he hope the other team makes a bad call so hes got that going for him.

Take the MSU game last year. They held out until MSU had 3 or 4 penalties in the the last few minutes which led to an overtime in which they were able to hold steady until MSU threw an INT.

Now yes there should be credit to winning on the road in an overtime game. However with the safe calls that are made you are only going to get a few of those wins. Only so many wins will be given to you, most you need to take.

He doesn't really make successful calls?? Lol really OutOfTown? I thought we just got through one of your ignorant comments about KF not wanting to win, and now you go make another one. I'm gonna try to put myself into the mind of some of you negative posters for a second... Basically every time something goes well KF must have had nothing to do with the playcall, but when something bad happens it's all KF's fault. Is that about right?

For a Coach who never makes successful calls he sure has done well for himself. Man those idiots who gave him Coach of the Year awards and wanted him in the NFL must have no clue what they are talking about. Have you ever considered entering the consulting business? I'm sure there would be hundreds of football programs eager to pay for your advice.